It is well-known that pollen contained in atmosphere, mites contained in carpets and futon, and the like serve as allergens to cause allergic diseases such as pollinosis, atopy and asthma. It is important for those with allergic diathesis to avoid contact with these allergens in order to prevent onset of allergies.
Measurements of allergens have been conventionally carried out by immunoassays using the antibodies corresponding to the allergens to be measured (Patent Literatures 1 to 5 below).
However, antibodies, especially monoclonal antibodies used for increasing the measurement accuracy, are expensive.
On the other hand, it is known that there are environmental allergens originated from pollen, mites, molds, insects and the like, which have a protease activity. For example, it is known that cedar pollen (Non-patent Literature 1), ragweed pollen (Non-patent Literature 2), mesquite pollen (Non-patent Literature 3), Aspergillus fumigatus (Non-patent Literature 4) which is a kind of molds, allergen from Periplaneta americana (Non-patent Literature 5) and mites (Dermatophagoides farinae and pteronyssinus) (Non-patent Literatures 6 to 13) have a protease activity. However, these references do not disclose or suggest to measure the allergens utilizing the protease activity, and do not disclose or suggest that there is a quantitative relationship between the protease activity and the amount of allergen. Further, in these references, the protease activities are measured after extracting, concentrating and/or purifying the allergens, and they do not disclose or suggest that environmental allergens may be simply measured as they are without these pretreatments.    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 9-87298    Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 5-207892    Patent Literature 3: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 11-14511    Patent Literature 4: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 2000-35428    Patent Literature 5: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application (Kokai) No. 6-34518    Non-patent Literature 1: J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Jun. 5; 50(12):3540-3. Isolation and characterization of aminopeptidase (Jc-peptidase) from Japanese cedar pollen (Cryptomeria japonica). Noguchi Y, Nagata H, Koganei H, Kodera Y, Hiroto M, Nishimura H, Inada Y, Matsushima A.    Non-patent Literature 2: Phytochemistry. 1998 February; 47(4):593-8. Ragweed pollen proteolytic enzymes: possible roles in allergies and asthma. Bagarozzi D A Jr, Travis J.    Non-patent Literature 3: Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1995 April; 12(4):441-8. Isolation and properties of an angiotensin II-cleaving peptidase from mesquite pollen. Matheson N, Schmidt J, Travis J.    Non-patent Literature 4: J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2002; 12(4):257-62. Serine proteinases with gelatinolytic activity in an Aspergillus fumigatus allergenic extract. Iraneta S G, Duschak V G, Rodriguez S M, Alonso A.    Non-patent Literature 5: J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 1999 July-August; 9(4):235-40. Proteinase and gelatinolytic activities of house dust mite and cockroach extracts. Iraneta S G, Duschak V G, Rodriguez S M, Seoane M A, Albonico J F, Alonso A.    Non-patent Literature 6: Ando T, Ino Y, Haida M, Honma R, Maeda H, Yamakawa H, Iwaki M, Okudaira H. Isolation of cysteine protease in the crude mite extract, Dermatophagoides farinae. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1991; 96(3):199-205.    Non-patent Literature 7: Ando T, Homma R, Ino Y, Ito G, Miyahara A, Yamakawa H, Iwaki M, Okumura Y, Suko M, Haida M, et al. Is a trypsin-like protease of mites a Der f III allergen? Arerugi. 1992 June; 41(6):704-7.    Non-patent Literature 8: Ando T, Homrnma R, Ino Y, Ito G, Miyahara A, Yanagihara T, Kimura H, Ikeda S, Yamakawa H, Iwaki M, et al. Trypsin-like protease of mites: purification and characterization of nypsin-like protease from mite faecal extract Dermatophagoides farinae. Relationship between trypsin-like protease and Der fIII. Clin Exp Allergy. 1993 September; 23(9):777-84.    Non-patent Literature 9: King C, Simpson R J, Moritz R L, Reed G E, Thompson P J, Stewart G A. The isolation and characterization of a novel collagenolytic serine protease allergen (Der p 9) from the dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996 October; 98(4):739-47.    Non-patent Literature 10: Schulz 0, Sewell H F, Shakib F. Related Articles, Links A sensitive fluorescent assay for measuring the cysteine protease activity of Der p 1, a major allergen from the dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Mol Pathol. 1998 August; 51(4):222-4.    Non-patent Literature 11: Yasueda H, Mita H, Akiyama K, Shida T, Ando T, Sugiyama S, Yamakawa H. Allergens from Dermatophagoides mites with chymotryptic activity. Clin Exp Allergy. 1993 May; 23(5):384-90.    Non-patent Literature 12: Heymann P W, Chapman M D, Aalberse R C, Fox J W, Platts-Mills T A. Antigenic and structural analysis of group II allergens (Der f II and Der p II) from house dust mites (Dermatophagoides spp). J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1989 June; 83(6):1055-67.    Non-patent Literature 13: Stewart G A, Ward L D, Simpson R J, Thompson P J. Related Articles, Links The group III allergen from the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is a trypsin-like enzyme. Immunology. 1992 January; 75(1):29-35.